Gyeonggi-do Fire Department Conducts Fire Prevention Inspections at Over 24,000 Foreign Worker Dormitories

Residential Fire Alarm Installation Scene Photo by Gyeonggi-do Fire and Disaster Headquarters

[Asia Economy (Suwon) = Reporter Lee Young-gyu] The Gyeonggi-do Fire and Disaster Headquarters will conduct fire prevention inspections at approximately 24,000 foreign worker accommodations early next year.

On the 28th, the Gyeonggi Fire Headquarters announced that it will carry out fire safety consulting, including checking the installation and operation of fire facilities, at 24,864 workplaces employing foreign workers in the province over two months from January to February next year.

This is in response to the recent continuous fire accidents in foreign worker accommodations. In fact, in February this year alone, two foreign workers using containers as accommodations in Siheung and Paju died in fires, resulting in consecutive fire-related deaths in foreign worker accommodations.

Currently, 328,000 foreign workers, accounting for 39% of the nationwide foreign workforce (843,000 people), reside in Gyeonggi-do.

In addition, the Gyeonggi Fire Headquarters will distribute leaflets containing mandatory installation information for residential fire safety facilities such as fire extinguishers and residential fire alarms targeting foreign worker accommodations. According to the revised regulations, all residences must mandatorily install residential fire safety facilities such as fire extinguishers and residential alarms.

In particular, 200 poor accommodations in small factories such as containers and vinyl greenhouses will be selected for a fire facility supply project, providing 400 fire extinguishers and 800 residential fire alarms.

Cho Sun-ho, head of the Gyeonggi Fire Headquarters, said, "Fires are occurring due to carelessness in using electric heating and heating devices at foreign worker workplaces and accommodations," and added, "Since the Gyeonggi-do National Safety Experience Center newly opened in Osan, Gyeonggi-do has established a special safety education course for foreign workers, so we ask for active participation in fire prevention education through this training."

The Gyeonggi Fire Headquarters is promoting the 'THE Safer Gyeonggi Workplace 10 Action Tasks' aiming to reduce factory fire death rates by 30% by 2026.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.